On My Way To You
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Weiss had never had a choice. The place where she was now couldn't be called "home" like Ruby and Yang's house could, she knew that much. That mansion back in Atlas wasn't Weiss' home. It was just a place where she was forced to exist. Ruby hated this.
1. A New Journey

**A joint commission for several different generous users! The original commissioners backed out, so now chapters are being dedicated to the kind people who are supporting me in their place!**

 **Chapter one is dedicated to ninja-bartender on tumblr! Thank you very much!**

 **Set after the finale. It could be seen as a partner fic to The Last Sunflower (that being the Blake/Yang and this being the Ruby/Weiss), only there's the single inconsistency of Ruby leaving with JN_R in that fic and by herself in this one.**

 **If you like my work you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

On My Way To You

Chapter 1. A New Journey

 _Where is she? Where is she...?_

Ruby couldn't find her, no matter how hard she looked.

She was trapped in a dark place with no way out. She ran, but never moved. Screamed, but never made a sound.

And when she suddenly found she wasn't alone anymore, she wished she were.

Her friends were there with her now.

But they were all...

 _They were all.._.

Ruby choked down another scream as she saw them, one by one.

Penny, lying there, mangled and in pieces, her bright, innocent eyes now dull, absent of the spark of life.

Yang wasn't moving either. Her eyes were closed, and her arm was still bleeding, gushing rivers of red where her hand should have been, every second washing away more and more of her precious life.

Blake was curled at her side, her torso also streaming blood, until it pooled up around her and started to drag her down, drowning her.

Then it was Pyrrha, kneeling before her tormentor with an arrow through her ankle, and another aimed at her chest.

No matter how madly Ruby screamed and thrashed, nothing stopped the point from hitting its mark. She watched her die again, gasping in horrible agony, dissipating into nothingness as though she'd never existed at all.

 _No-_

 _NOOOOO!_

She woke with an awful start, jolting upright in her bed as she clutched the blankets to her throbbing chest.

She'd been home for three days and nights already, but there had yet to be one morning she woke or one evening she fell asleep on a dry pillow case.

She felt the dampness of the fabrics against her cheek now, and when she blinked, more tears spilled over.

 _Why? Why do I... have to see this every single night? Why can't I just..._

She didn't even know how to finish her thought. She was just so _tired_. She wanted to rest. She just wanted to _rest_...

But she was beginning to think she wasn't meant to. Sleep only invited nightmares, forcing her to relive the reality she already knew all too well. She couldn't escape it when she was awake, and she couldn't escape it when she was asleep.

 _So... what am I supposed to do...?_

Sniffling, she flipped herself over to face the other side of the room.

Yang's bed was still empty. The spot that Ruby had always known to be so warm and comforting now looked so cold and uninviting.

Ruby whimpered for her big sister, needing her now more than ever.

"Yang... Y-Yaaang..."

Curling in on herself, she pulled her knees to her chest and stifled her hiccups.

She felt a small movement on the bed, listening as Zwei whined pitifully, then nudged her hand with his nose. He seemed to be all she had left on these horribly lonely nights.

Ruby reached out to clutch at him, pulling him up to her chest and sobbing into his fur. He could only lick her cheek and nuzzle close.

As she attempted to calm herself down again, Ruby's vulnerable mind could only stray back to darker thoughts at this hour of the night.

She thought of where her friends all were now.

Penny and Pyrrha... were gone...

She wasn't sure about Jaune, Ren, and Nora, but she could guess they weren't very much better off than she was right now.

At least she still had Yang, even though her older sister had essentially refused to see her every other time Ruby wanted to go in and talk to her, or simply to hug her.

And she remembered Yang's words every day - how Blake had _run_.

Ruby didn't know where she could've been. Anywhere, probably. She could've found somewhere safe to stay for a while, a place to keep low and hide out. Maybe she had other ex-White Fang companions she had met up with. That was what Ruby liked to believe she was doing, and not something dangerous.

She squeezed Zwei a little closer and sighed, sniffling.

At last, her thoughts wandered to the last person she ever thought she'd need to worry about.

 _Weiss..._

She was always so confident, so efficient, so... so self-sacrificing.

Even now, it was as though Weiss were purposefully trying to keep herself out of Ruby's thoughts, as if to tell her: _"Don't worry about me. Worry about the others. They need it more than I do."_

She was always putting the rest of them first, and herself last.

For a girl coming from such a well-known family with such prestigious status, Weiss tended to avoid the spotlight whenever it wasn't a literal one. If she could help it, she'd rather fade into the background.

And that's exactly what had happened.

Ruby whimpered as she nuzzled her face into Zwei's fur and thought about her partner.

Yang and herself had been taken home, by an uncle and father who loved and cared for them. If Ruby had had the option of choosing where she'd wanted to go after the battle, this would've been at the top of the list, second only to staying at Beacon. But with her first-choice option clearly off the table, her home at Patch was the next best place.

And the only thing that could've made it better was if Blake and Weiss were here, too.

Ruby knew that she and Yang were in good, caring hands. Their father hadn't gone so much as an hour every day without coming in to check on them, offering to make them food or open their windows or fluff their pillows.

Thoughts of Blake were a little more troubling.

Yang had said she'd simply run. But Ruby knew her well enough to assume that if Blake was running somewhere, then she had a destination in mind. She could've gone anywhere, and while that thought had first seemed intimidating, it wasn't so bad anymore.

Blake had lived outside the kingdoms for a long time, so she knew places where she could hide, places to keep herself safe, places to have food and shelter readily available to her. She was free of any chains and could go where she liked. Ruby knew she would use her best judgement to keep herself safe.

But Weiss...

Weiss hadn't had a _choice_.

Ruby cringed as she remembered what Yang had said to her a few days ago:

 _"Weiss' father... came for her..."_

That much alone had sent alarm ripping through Ruby's chest.

She didn't know much about Weiss' father, but she knew _enough_.

Weiss hadn't ever specifically told her, and she'd never directly asked.

But she'd told her _enough_.

In the way she'd start to shake and breathe quickly if she got a paper returned to her with a mark anything less than the full points.

In the way she'd always jump whenever her scroll buzzed, and look at the screen with caution before she realized it was just one of her friends.

In the way she'd toss and turn in her bed at night, whispering frightened apologies to him in her sleep.

Ruby was the type of girl to never judge people before she knew them herself, to never attack first unless provoked.

But Weiss' father was an exception.

She didn't like him one bit.

And she didn't think she ever would.

 _"She's gone."_

Weiss hadn't 'gone back home.' Her father had _come_ _to get her._

He'd _taken_ her.

And if Ruby knew anything at all about her partner, he'd taken Weiss _against her will._

At the time, Ruby herself had passed out at the top of the tower from that blinding light, while Blake and Yang had been hurt and helpless as they waited with Sun and the others to get on board an airship.

But Weiss...

Weiss had been all alone, completely conscious and aware of what was going on around herself. She'd probably seen that white light and feared for both Ruby's and Pyrrha's lives.

Ruby had later pressed Yang for details of the situation. Her older sister had reluctantly relayed the tidbits she'd heard from other students who had seen firsthand what had happened.

Ruby could picture Weiss as they'd all described - fatigued and panting, but still fighting off the Grimm to prevent them from advancing on the tower.

She'd fought them vigorously, terrified for her friends' lives more so than her own. She'd fought and fought, not knowing what had become of them, but trusting that if she played her part, everything would turn out fine in the end.

And then the wind had been cut by the rudders and engines of an airship. It had landed, and let out a wave of fresh soldiers who had eliminated the rest of the Grimm.

And then, a man had walked out with the presence of a king, ordered the soldiers to detain his own daughter, and observed as she was dragged on-board the ship.

Ruby hadn't been awake, but she knew Weiss had screamed.

She'd cried out in defiance, desperate to stay, just so she could know what had happened to the rest of them. She'd _begged_ him...

But her father had silenced her with a blow to the face for her insolence.

The last anyone had seen of Weiss had been her falling to her knees - defeated - on board that ship before the doors had shut, and it carried her away.

Ruby was sobbing violently in her bed once more, hating to imagine such an awful scene, to accept it as reality. With communications still down, there was no possible way for Weiss to know if her teammates were all right or not.

Even now, three days later, Weiss _didn't know._

Ruby couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of stress and agony she was under, locked away in her room, no doubt.

Ruby trusted and liked Winter, but she could assume she was too busy trying to help with the military and repairs to the city in Vale. Weiss was probably all alone back in Atlas, and Ruby didn't know what might become of her.

Yang and herself were in a safe, loving home now.

Blake had the liberty and freedom to go wherever she pleased.

But Weiss had never had a choice.

The place where she was now couldn't be called "home" like Ruby and Yang's house could, she knew that much. That mansion back in Atlas wasn't Weiss' home. It was just a place where she was forced to exist.

Ruby hated this. She hated this all so much.

She just wanted her friends back...

She just wanted to know they were okay...

She just wished none of this had ever happened...

She just wished she could rewind time and have things to back to the way they'd used to be...

She cried – for how long, she didn't know – clinging to Zwei with trembling hands, body shuddering beneath her blankets.

But as she lie there that night, Ruby realized something.

She realized that if she wanted things to mend themselves, or to even begin to hope they could go back to how they once were, that lying here _wishing_ for it wasn't going to get anything _done_.

Real life wasn't a fairytale. No one was going to flutter in through the window and grant her wish for her just like that. If Ruby wanted results, she'd have to work for them herself.

Now, she was determined.

She stopped crying, composing herself enough to release Zwei. She rolled over to lie on her back, staring up at the blank ceiling which seemed to play out scenes like a movie screen.

She saw them all again. Penny. Pyrrha. Yang. Blake. Weiss...

Ruby closed her eyes – resolved.

She went to sleep, fully aware that this would be her last night in this bed.

* * *

When morning came, she was on her feet with the first rays of sunlight.

She located the backpack she'd taken to Beacon with her and began filling it with supplies. Her father and sister were still asleep, so she crept around the house quietly, taking canned foods and snacks from the pantry and bottles of water from the fridge. She brought handfuls of them back to her room and packed them up, then went to her drawers for clothes.

She found her huntress dress, all washed and clean now. She knew she wasn't supposed to be wearing this again for many months, until Beacon was reopened and classes commenced. But she was going to need it now for what she had in mind.

She went to her dresser and reached back to find her little Boarbatusk piggy-bank. She didn't have much, but she still had some money saved up from her last birthday. Ruby took half of her savings and stowed that into the zippers of her backpack.

She packed a bag of toiletries and other supplies as well.

Then, she stuffed the backpack beneath her bed, in case her father came into the room later and discovered it sitting out. She draped the blankets over the edge of the bed to conceal it, then straightened up again.

Ruby spent today as she'd spent the three before it.

She stayed in her pajamas and helped her father with little chores around the house, cooked pancakes for breakfast with him, ate lunch with him at noon...

During the afternoon hours, Ruby retrieved Crescent Rose from downstairs and started to polish and repair it bit by bit. She'd fixed most of the chinks and scratches in previous days, and just before supper today, she deemed her weapon to be completely refurbished. She snuck that upstairs into her room as well.

After that, she showered, savoring the warmth of the clean water and the fruity scents of the shampoo, not knowing when she'd be able to use them again. She redressed herself into her pajamas once more, slung a towel around her shoulders, then headed downstairs for dinner.

Just like the last few days, Yang never joined them at the table. Their father always brought her a tray of food to the guest room she was staying in.

They both knew Yang wanted to be alone. But Ruby hadn't seen her at all yesterday, and she knew full-well she wouldn't be seeing her anymore after tonight.

So she made sure to go up to visit her one last time.

She treaded softly as she made her way up the steps, then down the hallway. The door was closed again, deterring anyone from coming in if they didn't have to.

But Ruby _had_ to.

She paused at the door, obstructing her view of her sister, as it always seemed to do. She waited for a moment, knowing Yang had heard her approach. Ruby wanted to know if she'd be invited in before she could knock.

But that didn't happen. So she rapped her knuckles against the wood and shuffled her feet. She heard a little sigh from the other side, then the sounds of shifting about.

"Come in."

Ruby did as permitted and entered.

Yang looked the same as she had three days ago, posture slouched, her face turned away and expression hidden by her hair.

Ruby had been hoping that Yang might be a bit better by now, but that clearly wasn't the case. The sunflowers on her nightstand were drooping a bit, and as Ruby passed them, she reached out to tilt them back up again.

She'd always been so open around Yang, because her big sister had always taught her never to hide or force back her true feelings.

But that was a little hard to do when the person who was supposed to be listening seemed so despondent.

Ruby had never been this hesitant around her sister. She didn't like having to be this way. But she didn't want to make Yang more upset than she already was.

So she paused several feet away from the bed, shuffling her feet and twiddling her fingers. Even when she was this close, Yang never turned to acknowledge her.

Ruby tried to keep the thin whine out of her tone as she spoke in a reserved, small voice.

"Yang...?"

There were a number of jovial responses Yang would often give after that: "What's up, sis?" or "Lay it on me!" or "What'cha wanna talk about?"

All open, gregarious things.

Nothing like the response she gave right now.

"What do you want from me?"

Ruby flinched, and was a little glad her sister wasn't looking now.

 _Want? I don't_ want _anything from you, Yang..._

It hurt, to have her big sister thinking all Ruby wanted to do was exploit her, even now.

She shook her head, teeth embedded into her bottom lip from how nervous she was.

This felt so wrong. She'd never once been _nervous_ around Yang in her entire life until recent days-

" _Well?_ " Yang grunted, and it made Ruby realize she'd been standing in silence for the past minute or so. She sniffled once, very softly, upset both by how Yang was reacting to her, and because of the nature of what Ruby herself was about to do.

"I... I just wanted to say goodnight..."

She could feel the tears beginning to rise up, but she swallowed them down.

 _Not now, not now, please!_

Yang didn't budge, didn't even flash her eyes to the side to look towards her.

"Well, you've said it, haven't you?"

Ruby felt her heart breaking all over again.

"Yeah... G'night, Yang..."

With robotic slowness, she turned, feeling stiff and cold inside.

But with the knowledge she held – knowing this would be the last time she saw her sister in who knows how long – she _had_ to turn back.

Ruby crouched down and gently wrapped her arms around Yang's shoulders, burying her face in her hair and back. Into her ear, she whispered three timid words – the last she'd say to her for a long while.

"I love you..."

Maybe today, Yang would turn around and hug her back. Maybe today she'd return those three words.

But she never did. Her only response was a minuscule shrug, more so to get Ruby off of her than anything else. Her gaze remained fixated on the window, voice hoarse.

"Good night."

Ruby felt as though her heart had been jabbed by an ice pick. She turned away just as the tears began to fall, then hurried out of the room, and closed the door behind herself.

As she retreated to her room where her packed bag awaited her, she had to wonder...

Would Yang have hugged her back and told her she loved her if she'd known what Ruby was about to do? Or would even the prospect of losing her little sister fail to move her?

Ruby would never find out, not now, anyway.

Still in her pajamas, she laid herself down in her bed and turned off the bedside lamp, pulling the blankets up over herself. She wiped her eyes and buried her face in her pillow, trying to appear calm and dormant.

A few minutes later, she heard her father's footsteps as he came upstairs and peeked inside to check on her, then left her for his own bedroom down the hall.

Ruby waited about an hour, until she could hear her father's snores and could assume Yang was asleep as well. She took in a deep, steadying breath, then got out of bed.

She moved quietly as not to disturb Zwei, then knelt down to retrieve her backpack. She dragged it out, checked to make sure she had everything she needed, then pulled out her dress and leggings.

After changing, she folded her pajamas neatly and hid them beneath her covers, then gathered the pillows from Yang's vacant bed to create the guise of her sleeping form.

Then, she sat a moment at her desk and flicked on the lamp there, extracting a piece of paper from a nearby notebook and uncapping a pen. She wrote out a small note to her family and signed it with love, then tucked it onto her pillow beneath the covers.

Picking up Crescent Rose, she clipped it onto her belt and slung her pack over her shoulders. She turned off all the lights, kissed Zwei on the head, then spared one last moment to look around her beloved room; the old Grimm figures her parents had gotten for her on previous birthdays, the paintings and photos of majestic, foreign places, the soft pillows and sheets that had comforted her for the first decade and a half of her life...

She took one last mental photo for herself-

-then turned away.

Quietly, she left her room, padding softly down the hallway, then down the stairs. She listened to her father's snores as long as she could, and only imagined her sister sleeping peacefully.

Ruby was scared to leave them, not only because she was embarking on this journey entirely alone, but because she was scared of how they might react to her absence in the morning.

But she'd made up her mind. There was no going back now.

She had a mission to complete. Seeing her family again would be her reward for doing so.

That's what she promised herself.

Therefore, she slipped out the front door, without remorse or regret.

Of course there was still a bit of fear, but not as much as she'd thought there would be.

She exhaled the fears and the uncertainties, but breathed in determination and confidence. The night was cold, but she was fired up inside, ready to set out on this new path she'd set for herself.

And there was only one destination she had in mind.

Atlas.

 _And eventually, Weiss._

Ruby was going to find her, if it was the last thing she ever did.

* * *

 **A/N: I'd like to believe Yang wouldn't keep being so harsh and depressed for too long after her accident, but I feel if she was, it'd hurt Ruby a lot. Now that Ruby's left in the canon as well, part of me thinks Yang will only fall deeper into depression, but the other part thinks it'll motivate her to shape up sooner to go find her baby sister. I hope it's the latter in canon.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the setup for this little story. See you in chapter 2!**

 **If you like my work you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	2. A Night In The Forest

**This chapter is dedicated to** **macdutton!** **Thank you so much for the support!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2. A Night In The Forest

From the very second she'd decided to set out on this journey, Ruby had never expected it to be easy.

Leaving her father and sister behind with nothing more than a note had been difficult enough, but on top of that, there was the matter of actually _getting_ herself to Atlas.

Patch was composed of many miles of deep forest. It was recommended never to go into them alone and unarmed, and especially not after sunset.

 _Well..._ Ruby thought as she treaded quietly through the snow. _At least I'm armed..._

She'd hiked through these woods many times before, and the risk of encountering Grimm had always existed. Only now, after that massive dragon had revealed itself and stirred up every last monster from the depths of the shadows, the beasts were three times as active as they'd ever been before.

The broken moon hung trapped behind a shrouded mist overhead, and a light flurry of snow was still falling.

Ruby knew her way to town fairly well, but how she planned to get herself there was a bit of a tricky matter. She needed to move quickly, in case her father woke for some reason to find her gone and started coming after her. If he managed to find her and bring her back home, he'd ensure she could never slip away again.

And besides, Ruby wasn't sure she'd be _able_ to leave her family a second time.

She needed to move quickly to avoid being caught up with, but motion and sound could easily attract any beast's attention in the darkness.

Being it was nighttime, Ruby was put at a disadvantage in terms of sight, even with the faint glow of the moonlight reflecting off the thin layer of snow.

Essentially, she needed to move swiftly _and_ slowly at the same time if she wanted to get to town before dawn.

So she did the next best thing and simply alternated between the two speeds.

For several minutes, she would saunter at a brisk pace, trying to keep the crunching of her boots over the snow to a minimal volume.

Then, she'd pause and focus on her senses, trying to spot anything unnatural or threatening in the immediate area, listening for the sounds of rummaging claws. If she heard none, she'd allow herself a short burst of speed, for just a few seconds, darting through the trees more quickly than a wolf.

But a few seconds was all she could afford – she couldn't risk wasting too much energy before she got out of the woods.

So once again, she'd resort to walking, keeping her eyes and ears alert for any sounds of danger.

It was when the moon was just about directly overhead when she started to run into some problems.

Literally.

She'd just finished a sprint and had slowed her pace, unaware that she was being stalked. As soon as she slowed down and paused to catch her breath, a massive Beowolf was upon her, jaws snarling and claws swinging.

Ruby jumped back, only barely managing to avoid the blades of its claws.

 _I need to kill it fast, before all this noise can attract more of them._

She reached for Crescent Rose and extended it to its fullest form, but only now did she realize the weight of her backpack was slowing her down.

Grunting, she fired a bullet, but her aim was off thanks to one of the pack's straps slipping down over her upper arm. The shot only barely grazed the wolf's shoulder, causing it to howl in fury.

"Crap..."

As the wolf yowled in a rage with jaws parted, Ruby took aim again, right down its throat, and fired. The loud howl was cut off abruptly and turned to a sickening gurgle as the corpse collapsed into the snow and began to dissipate.

Ruby wiped her forehead, scanning the surrounding trees for signs of any more Grimm. Luckily, this one appeared to have been a loner, but even so, she knew it wouldn't be long now before more would be on their way to this area.

She put her scythe away, then hurried over across the snow to pick up the expended shell casings, not wanting to leave behind any more evidence than she had to.

 _My footprints are already enough clues, and the snow isn't covering them up very quickly..._

She was about to start off again when an idea struck her.

Swiftly, she gathered herself for a burst of energy, but instead of running forward, she began to spin herself around where she stood. Her speed increased rapidly, and within seconds, a miniature red tornado was stirring up the forest.

She figured now was as good a time as any, since the previous wolf had made such a commotion and others were likely on their way now.

So she made quick work of her ability to create powerful winds, which lifted up the snow all around her for many, many yards in an even circumference. It swirled in midair, and the sharp winds caused snow that had been resting atop the tree branches to be dislodged. The snow all mixed together, and essentially erased the least several yards' worth of her footprints.

Ruby slowed herself to a stop and shook herself off a bit to regain her bearings, looking back the way she'd come to find her trail had vanished.

"Yes!" She made a little fist of triumph, though her smile didn't stay for long. She hated having to trick her family and do everything within her power to keep them from finding her, even though she knew they'd be wrought with guilt and fear for her safety.

 _I'm sorry... But I'm scared about my friends. I've got to find them..._

So, taking a deep breath, she turned her back on the invisible path she'd left behind, and started off again in the opposite direction.

She made sure to move at a much quicker pace this time, hoping to outrun any Grimm before they could catch sight or scent of her. She knew that feeling upset about leaving Yang and their father behind would only help the beasts find her more easily, so she did her best not to think about that.

But thinking ahead didn't seem very promising either.

She was so worried about Weiss and Blake and all of her other friends, and she wasn't confident at all where she was going or how she would get there-

As if on cue, a sudden trampling of hooves exploded from the undergrowth in front of her. A pack of Boarbatusk now faced her, squealing and screeching, blocking her path in a line of dark, armored bodies.

Ruby felt her heart sink, as she was already quite exhausted from the events of the last several hours. She hadn't actually slept at all since last night, she'd been running for hours now, and had just fought off a huge wolf on her now.

Nonetheless, she took the boars head-on.

 _I can't give up here. I've barely even started._

But she wasn't an idiot. She was well-aware of her body's mounting fatigue, and the weight of her backpack was certainly working against her.

She drew Crescent Rose again, swinging it only to aim for the nearest boar. The curve of her blade caught in its tusks, and she wretched them clean off, leaving the beast to slump over and die where it fell.

Six more boars tried to follow its path of attack, but Ruby was quicker. She leapt over their heads just as they began to roll towards her in armored balls of rage.

With them now spiraling in the opposite direction, Ruby landed behind them and took off at top speed, hoping to outrun them. If they caught up to her and she was forced to fight, she'd do it, but if she could avoid it, she'd much rather choose the abstinence option.

As she ran, her thoughts briefly went back to Weiss.

When Ruby had first come to Beacon, she'd been eager to kill every last Grimm in the Emerald Forest, both to show off her skills and to rid Remnant of a bit more evil.

But it had been Weiss who'd taught her that she didn't have to fight every single battle. Sometimes, it was wiser and more resourceful to flee and fight another day.

She was consciously aware that right now, she was demonstrating something she'd learned from her partner.

It made her chest ache with longing, her mind once more overcome by uncertain thoughts of what could've been happening to Weiss right now.

Was her father being mean to her? Forcing her to do things against her will again? Could she even sleep soundly at night in her own room?

Ruby dreaded to think about how unhappy her friend must have been, and with the CCT still down, she had no way of knowing what had become of the rest of them.

Ruby had brought her scroll along with her just in case of a miracle, but it had been estimated that communications would be down and in need of repairs for at least another month.

She couldn't even begin to imagine the horror Weiss must have been feeling for the past several days, and would continue feeling until she got answers. She didn't know what had become of Ruby, Blake, or Yang. For all she knew, the three of them might've been _dead_.

And her father would surely deny any request for her to find answers for herself.

Ruby's heart was pained in just thinking about it.

Was Weiss still awake tonight, even at this hour? Tossing and turning in bed, crying, plagued by nightmares...?

Even living back in Atlas protected by all of her father's guards and mansion walls, she probably didn't feel safe.

 _Not knowing what happened to us... it's probably eating away at her..._

With her mind swirling like the snow she'd just kicked up, she continued to pelt through the forest, unable to keep her thoughts from straying to her partner now.

But surprisingly, no Grimm intercepted her. And Ruby felt she knew why.

Because despite her mental fears for Weiss' wellbeing, Ruby's heart was void of any ounce of uncertainty.

She was _going_ to find Weiss, of that she was sure.

Whilst there may have been doubts and fears in her mind, there was only courage and determination in her heart.

She'd find her. No matter what.

Ruby pushed onward through the woods, eventually slowing her pace when she felt she was out of range of the boars. Judging by the position of the moon, it must have been about 3AM by now, if not later. Her legs were beginning to wobble, and her vision was blurring a bit.

Therefore, after scouring the nearby area for any signs of danger and coming up with nothing, Ruby found a fallen log to sit on for a rest.

Slipping the backpack off was a huge relief for her shoulders, and despite the cold nighttime air, she could feel her clothes clinging to her back with sweat. She shook her shoulders a bit to get rid of the odd feeling, then bent forward to un-zipper the backpack.

Pawing through it, she withdrew a chocolate granola bar and tore into the wrapping to get at the sweet treat. She gobbled it down in just seconds, then stuffed the trash into the bottom of the pocket and pulled out another bar.

As she ate, she was once again letting her mind wander to thoughts of Weiss, Blake, and Yang back at home.

 _I bet she's still asleep. I know she'll be really upset once she finds out I left, though. Even if she doesn't say it or show it. Which is why I've gotta get to town and get on a ship before dawn._

 _And who knows where Blake is...? Sun was the last person to see her, but I don't even know where_ he _is. I'm sure she's fine, though. She knows places where she can go to take care of herself._

 _I'm still worried about Weiss. I wonder what her dad's going to do? What if he sends her away somewhere else to keep her 'safe' and I never see her again-?_

A sudden rustling sound distracted her from the frightening thoughts. Ruby jumped to her feet, still clutching her granola bar, instinctively poised to throw it at whatever had approached her.

But it wasn't a Grimm this time.

Rather, it was a squirrel. A very normal, very harmless brown squirrel.

It was perched on the edge of the log she'd been sitting on, cleaning its tail. Startled by her sudden movement, it was now frozen in place, prepared to bolt. Ruby sighed, then laughed softly to herself.

"Aw, sorry, lil' guy. I didn't mean to scare you."

She sat back down and allowed her tense shoulders to relax. She'd been so used to only seeing and fighting Grimm lately that she'd almost forgotten that normal animals still existed.

Breaking off a nutty portion of her bar, Ruby gave a small toss towards the animal. The food landed a few inches in front of it. The squirrel bent down to sniff and inspect the morsel, then picked it up and began to chew rapidly.

Ruby giggled as she watched it eat and took the final bite for herself as well.

It was just a small, simple, short-lived moment of peace and tranquility.

But it was more than enough for her.

Somehow, she felt reassured now, motivated even.

Despite all that had happened back at Beacon and with the Grimm... life still went on.

There were still plenty of people and animals thriving on Remnant, and they needed someone to protect them, lest the Grimm overtake it all.

There were still plenty of things worth fighting for.

With a new conviction boiling within her stomach, Ruby stood and gathered her things. She took a quick sip of water from one of her bottles, then stuffed it back into the side pocket.

The squirrel had finished its meal as well, and watched her, tail twitching. Ruby smiled down at the little animal.

"Thanks for keeping me company, Mr. or Mrs. Squirrel! Stay warm!"

The creature tilted its head, then scampered off up the side of the nearest tree. Ruby watched it go, until the bushy tail was out of sight.

Then, she was off once again.

By now, the night was drawing to an end. The forest around her wasn't quite so dark anymore. It was only a very slight shift in lighting, barely noticeable. But when compared to the darkness she'd been under when she'd fought the wolf, the sky was beginning to lighten, bit by bit.

When she looked up, the sky was clear of any clouds now, and the stars were visible and bright.

Ruby continued on her way, reserved and calm, almost like a sprite of the forest itself. She even passed by a pair of Ursa in the distance, which looked up to acknowledge her presence. But they had no interest in such a fearless being, and soon looked away.

For that final hour of the cold, windless night, Ruby's path remained unobstructed. No more Grimm ambushed her, and nothing hindered her path aside from a herd of deer making their way gracefully through the forest.

Ruby was overcome by a strange sense of tranquility, one she'd never experienced before, at least not in this way.

While the humans and Faunus were struggling to make repairs and fearing war between the kingdoms, the animals were living as naturally and peacefully as ever. Even some of the Grimm seemed docile at times.

Therefore, when she finally reached the end of the forest and could see the waking town beyond, Ruby hesitated for just a moment.

She appreciated how simple it would have been to either go back home, or wait to be found and led back. She could just go return to her family and forget everything that had ever happened, tell herself that Weiss and Blake and the others were all doing fine and would survive on their own.

It would have been easy to forget them, and block out all the painful memories.

But that wasn't living. That was merely existing.

Life came with challenges and painful things. Without them, could simply breathing and existing really be called 'life'?

Not to her. She still needed answers.

Therefore, with one last appreciative thought left behind for the forest, Ruby stepped out of the snow and onto the concrete sidewalks of town.

Leaving behind the silence of nature, she soon hurried into civilization where the air stirred with the sounds of rushing cars and voices. She dashed forward, trying to keep out of sight, even though very few people were awake at this hour.

The town seemed rather similar to the forest, she thought, very quiet and still just before the sun could rise and bring with it new troubles.

Light was just beginning to fill the streets, painting the buildings in pale colors. The purple sky melted into milky pinks and oranges as the last of the stars vanished from view.

Ruby swept through the town like a red breeze, stirring the air, but noticed by no one. Only when she arrived at the air ship docks did she interact with a person for the first time in many long hours.

She wanted to avoid being seen as much as possible, so that when her father eventually came looking for her, he'd be unable to find out who she'd spoken to or where she'd gone.

Therefore, she pulled up her hood and approached the small building beside the ship docks. The woman behind the first information window seemed shocked to have a customer at this hour of the morning, but she answered Ruby's question of which ship would be departing for Atlas.

She warned her, "Atlas is rather far, and with communications still down, making the flight there may not be the best idea."

She tried to persuade Ruby to fly to another kingdom first and proceed to Atlas from there.

But Ruby kindly refused, and handed over her passport information. The woman approved, and once the small fee had been paid, Ruby boarded her ship.

It was entirely empty, with just a faint tune playing over the radio.

At long last, she sat down on one of the seats nearest a window and removed her backpack once more. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and released a long, exhausted sigh.

The flight to Atlas would take until tomorrow, due to how frequently they would need to make stops in other kingdoms and refuel.

Ruby had made it through the first part of her journey – slipped away from home and avoided danger and being caught. She'd need this time on the ship to rest and recuperate, as well as to formulate her next plan of action once she arrived in Atlas. She'd never been there before, and she hadn't the slightest idea how she should go about conducting herself to obtain the desired information.

But she knew that almost anyone would be able to tell her where the Schnees lived, and from that point, it would only be a matter of _getting_ there.

She still wasn't sure _how_ she'd get to Weiss, but Ruby was confident she'd figure something out. So long as she avoided being caught, either by her own father or Weiss'.

Ruby found she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She closed them, just as the sun peeked up above the horizon.

As she faded off into slumber, she sent out silent wishes to her partner.

 _Just hang in there... I'll be there soon, Weiss. Promise..._

For now, all either of them could do was wait.

* * *

 **A/N: The next chapter will focus on Weiss and what she's going through during this time.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Prison In The Tower

**Thanks for your patience as I continue writing other stories and updating this one. As I'd noted in the previous chapter's notes, this chapter will be entirely from Weiss' point of view. This chapter is dedicated to** **moonwatcher13** **for their help and support!**

 **WARNING because this chapter contains implied parental abuse/mistreatment.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. Prison In The Tower

Weiss was scared.

And she didn't truly think she should be, not when she was protected by her father's mansion and security now, while all the rest of Remnant was teetering on the edge of uncertainty.

Grimm were still crawling through the streets of some places, while the foundations of others were weak and crumbling. People were terrified at the possibility of war breaking out between the kingdoms. Others were spending every waking second looking over their shoulders, fearing terrorist attacks.

And here _she_ was, locked away in her own room for safekeeping, like some kind of doll.

Or more accurately, prisoner.

She didn't feel safe at all. In fact, she would much rather be out there, in the center of the turmoil with the rest of the world, so long as that meant she could be with her friends again, and know they were okay.

Because she _didn't_ know if they were.

It had been several days, nearly a week now, since she had left Beacon.

No. Since she'd been _taken_ from Beacon.

As she lay in bed that quiet morning, Weiss' mind was assaulted by the replaying memories once again.

She'd been fending off the Grimm, trying to keep them from pursuing Ruby up the side of the tower, fighting with everything she had down to the last drop of her aura and energy.

Then, the white light had appeared - blinding, unnatural, and terrifying - its source exactly where her partner was supposed to be.

Weiss had tried to get to her. She'd forced her way through the hoard of Grimm and reached the tower herself.

But even before she could cast a glyph for herself, the ominous thudding of rudders cutting through air had frozen her in place. His men had shot the Grimm around her as the air ship had landed, and they'd hurried out to surround her.

But it hadn't been for her protection. It had been for her detainment.

And then her father had stepped out and approached her in that intimidating way of his.

It had always struck fear within her heart, ever since she could remember. She'd never once looked up to him in an admiring sense; she'd only ever looked away from him.

And he'd ridiculed her for her choice in profession yet again, in front of everyone present, which had included some of her fellow classmates not far away.

He'd demanded she get on board his ship. She'd refused, and he'd stricken her.

And then he'd ordered his men to _drag_ her on board.

And despite the consequences she knew would be coming for opposing his wishes, she hadn't gone quietly.

She'd gone kicking and screaming, _begging_ him to let her go to her partner, just to see if she were okay.

Her father had only barely managed to maintain his composure while within sight of the public.

But as soon as those air ship doors had closed behind him, he'd stricken her again for her disobedience. She'd never forget the awful words he'd said to her then:

 _"You are nothing but a foolish child. You are incapable of making the correct decisions for yourself, therefore I will be making them for you from now on. You are never to train as a huntress again. That little delusion of a dream is over for you. You've had your fun wasting my money on that ridiculous school. It's time you learn your place."_

His stinging words ran through her mind again now, each one as poignant and painful as the first time she'd heard them. They struck her heart as individual blows, making it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Presently, she began to cry, tucking her face into her pillow to stifle the sounds.

She'd only been back here for a few days, and she'd already lost count of how many times she'd broken down.

She didn't want to be here. _Anywhere_ but here.

This wasn't home. This was just a place with walls and locks on the doors. She would've felt safer out in the snowy Grimm-infested forests.

Someone had treated her injuries on the flight back to Atlas. She knew it had been ordered, not because her father cared for her wellbeing, but because he'd already risked his appearance enough that day; he couldn't afford anyone seeing her battered like that.

She hadn't even left her room since she'd been brought back here and pushed inside to hear the defiant click of the lock behind her.

Every day, she toiled away the hours, trying to make the time useful by practicing her skills. Myrtenaster had been left within her possession, and she worked on very basic techniques, wielding and glyph casting, whatever the limits of her room would allow.

In addition to that, she was constantly charging and checking her scroll in case of a miracle.

But no such miracle ever came.

Every night, she'd retreat to her personal bathroom, the only place where her father had never once stepped foot inside. She'd shower for hours, standing beneath the flow of hot water until it burned her skin.

At Beacon, she'd used to sing softly, knowing a small hum of her tune might reach out into the dorm room and make her teammates smile.

But now she only wept, bitterly and hopelessly, letting the water drown out the sounds of her sorrow.

After stepping out and changing, she'd try to open her door, to no avail each time. It was locked from the outside, not to keep her safe, but to keep her under control.

Under _his_ control. Like she'd always been.

A maid came by twice a day to bring her food and water. Weiss hadn't touched any of it so far.

Now, she glanced over at her desk, where the untouched food items from previous days still sat, cold and tasteless now.

With weary slowness, Weiss pushed herself up, removing the blankets from her lap and slipping her legs over the edge of her bed. Her stomach growled again, as it had been doing for the past two days and nights. She knew she couldn't go on like this, surviving off of water and the barest minimum of crumbs.

Shakily, she made her way to the desk and pawed through the food sitting there. Some of it could still be salvageable. She selected a red apple, lifting it to her lips and biting off a piece.

What should have been a sweet flavor now seemed bitter and stinging, hardly a welcome relief to her parched throat and neglected stomach.

She only allowed herself a few more bites, sickeningly aware that her body wouldn't be able to accept any more than that. She dropped the remainder of the fruit back onto the tray just as a knock came at her door.

Weiss said nothing by means of granting permission to enter, but a maid entered anyway, holding another tray of food. Weiss turned her back on the woman coldly.

"You may take it away. All of it."

"But, Miss Schnee, your father-"

"Didn't you hear me? I said take it away."

"...Yes, ma'am."

Weiss didn't so much as budge the entire time the maid was in the room with her. She listened to the sounds of footsteps and clinking trays as the woman took the untouched food away, stacking everything to balance on her forearm. As she was leaving, the woman made one last comment.

"Please dress and prepare yourself. Your father wishes to see you."

As soon as the door had closed behind her, Weiss stiffened, inhaling sharply.

 _Why? He's had me locked up here all this time and hasn't once wanted to see me. Why today? Why now?_

She could only speculate. Was he going to yell at her for refusing to eat? Weiss couldn't think what this could be about, but she knew she was going to exploit this opportunity to the best of her abilities.

In the bathroom, she freshened up and dressed herself in her combat skirt and bolero. She didn't know what her father had in mind for her, but she took Myrtenaster with her in case he was sending her off somewhere immediately.

 _Maybe he'll send me back to Beacon after all. I've clearly shown him that my presence in this house is doing him more harm than good._

She brushed through her hair only briefly before purposefully tying it up in that same, asymmetrical, imperfect style that had always irked him so much.

She waited at her door until it was unlocked and she was allowed to step foot outside for the first time in days.

She folded her hands in front of her as she walked, keeping her chin and head low. She wished that some day she might be able to walk as confidently as Winter, with her head high and arms behind her back. But Weiss wasn't confident enough for that - not when facing her father.

She was brought to his office, where the maid announced her arrival. Her father grunted for her to enter alone.

Weiss steeled herself, attempting to erase any visible signs of her discomfort. She moved her arms a bit to make her posture seem more formal and less defensive, lifted her head a bit, and kept a neutral expression on her face, her eyes focused.

Outside, she may have pulled off the act. But inside, her empty stomach was twisting, the blood was pounding in her veins, and her heart was thumping erratically.

She entered the room to find her father standing in front of his desk, looking down upon her as he always did, his eyes narrowed and sharp.

Weiss paused a considerable distance away from him, not wanting to get any closer than she had to. She refused to bow her head, but she couldn't look him in the eye, either. So she settled for visually tracing the outline of his tie as she mustered up her voice.

"You wanted to see me, Father?"

She did her best to sound composed, imagining what Winter might've done if she were here.

The dreaded sound of his footsteps reached her ears as he approached her, and it was all Weiss could do to hold her ground.

"I'd like to know why you're still being so childish. Refusing meals? When I went through all that trouble of having them made and delivered? How rude of you. How ungrateful."

His words were level and almost calm. Weiss felt she would have preferred if he'd just exploded into a fit of anger and yelling. Somehow, this quieter rage was twice as terrifying and traumatizing.

He'd fallen silent for a moment, desiring a response from her, but Weiss didn't give him what he wanted. She merely remained silent, which to him, was a sign of defiance and insolence.

He waited a moment longer, knowing she didn't intend to speak, but wanting the pressure of silence to weigh down on her even more heavily to frighten her. It was just another way he kept control.

Weiss knew his tactics, and time after time she told herself she wouldn't let herself be affected by them.

But she wasn't Winter. She wasn't confident and strong on her own. No matter how much she liked to deny it, she _was_ still afraid of her father, especially when he was as furious as he was now.

And right now, there was nothing else for him to target aside from her.

She was always being hunted, even within her own house.

But she'd rather be able to run and hide than be frozen in a trap like this.

The awful silence dragged on as she looked anywhere but up at him. Her face still ached from the last time he'd stricken her, and she feared making any sounds other than the ones he wanted to hear. She didn't even swallow for fear of trembling and choking, and her mouth was too dry anyway.

At the very least, he turned and walked away from her, back towards his desk.

Weiss stayed put, having been given no indication that she was meant to follow him.

But she did watch as he reached for something that had previously been out of sight.

He picked it up, and Weiss could just barely tell what it was.

Clothes on a hanger, a neat, gray dress and pants – more specifically, a uniform.

She took a step back.

 _No-_

"In spite of your refusal to comply to my wishes," he said. "I've decided to give you no other options this time. You've defied me enough times already, running off to Beacon. Well, I hope you've had your fun, because it's over now. You're going to begin proper training for a proper profession at Atlas Academy starting in two days' time. You'll be leaving tomorrow. Pack your things.

"You'll be sent away for the first semester where you'll live at the dorms there. Not only are their classes continuing despite the crisis, but they'll also be moving students to classified locations to ensure security."

With the uniform in-hand, he approached her once again. "You're to prepare your things tonight and be ready for departure by tomorrow at noon. Once there, you'll be assigned your dorm and spend the night, then begin classes the morning after.

"There, you'll be learning _important_ life skills and business management, not some fairytale fighting nonsense. You'd best change your mindset and start to grow up, because no matter what it is _you_ want to do, you have a duty to this family to be the next head of Schnee Dust, and that is what you're going to do."

He stopped right in front of her, his presence demanding she look him in the eye to ensure she understood what was being said to her.

Weiss dug her teeth deeper into her lip and refused to look up. She could feel the sting of tears rising up, and she absolutely refused to cry in front of him. She already displayed conformation to him in multiple ways, but tears were the ultimate sign of weakness.

Still, he waited for a response.

"Well? Have you understood? You should realize how superior Atlas is compared to all of the other kingdoms. Despite the communication crisis and the political matters, our main focus is still to train and educate our students. Unlike Beacon."

 _Stop. Just shut up. You don't know anything..._

Her heart thudded thickly in her chest, and she couldn't tell if it was more from fury or fear. Her blood was boiling as she was forced to listen to him degrade the school she loved, where she'd met so many wonderful people and had the best days of her life with them.

She had half a mind to snap then and there, to shout in his face and accept whatever consequences it might've brought her.

But she wasn't even given the time to build up the courage to do such a thing.

Because in the next second, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

It made her jolt – violently – her body instinctively reacting to his touch, always expecting it to become painful. She felt his fingers curling into the fabrics of her bolero, until her arm began to ache.

"Ridiculous," he growled. "I can't believe you dared to show yourself to me wearing _this_. You still believe you're going to be a huntress, do you? Well, you can forget that fantasy. It's over."

The next thing she knew, there was pain radiating through her left shoulder and arm where he'd touched her. His arm yanked on the material of her jacket, forcing it off of her, baring her arms and shoulders.

It was horrifying, to be physically stripped of one of her defense barriers, an article of clothing that had served to keep her safe now missing. She felt so vulnerable, so exploited.

She didn't think about her reaction.

She didn't have the time or mindset to consider and weigh the outcomes.

For once, she just reacted on instinct.

"Don't _touch_ me!"

She swiped out her arm and grabbed her bolero back from him, then retreated to the doors. Not waiting to see or hear a response from him, she fled the room, shoving through the doors and pelting down the hallways to the staircase.

She stumbled every other step, her shaking legs now tripping repeatedly, her knees and shins scraping against the hard marble of the edges.

She didn't know what he might be doing, if he was right behind her. Adrenaline and fear fueled her, forcing her onward as she scrambled unceremoniously up the final few steps, and then took off running once again.

She ran until her legs gave out, until her palms slammed against her own door and pushed inside. She fell to her knees, unable to stand for a minute longer, her misplaced bolero now crumpled in her lap.

She was vaguely aware of the open door behind herself, and she crawled back towards it to push it closed.

For once, the click of that lock sounded less dreadful and more satisfying.

If it was somehow possible, she now felt both trapped and somewhat safe at the same time.

It didn't make sense.

But even the faint sense of security she was feeling from being locked prisoner in her own room was twisted. It just meant that her situation was infinitely worse than it had been before.

Because before, she'd only been scared enough to feel trapped.

But now, she was scared enough to feel _safe_ in such a terribly threatening place.

This was _bad._ This was _horrible_.

Weiss drew her legs close to her chest and wept into her knees, her quivering fingers still clutching meekly at her jacket. She curled in on herself against the cold, hard, unforgiving door, shivering uncontrollably from more than just the cold marble.

But her sobs were quiet, private sounds of her torment.

She was sure to stifle each and every one of them, swallowing down what she could and muffling what she couldn't.

Her stomach ached, not only from being neglected, but now that it was finally being filled, it wasn't with sustenance. All she forced down now were jolting breaths of air, empty and harmful, causing her body to seize from the inside out.

She wept in forlorn silence, trapped in her menagerie with no hopes of ever again obtaining freedom.

Every shudder that racked her body felt as though it might shatter her once and for all, and more often than not, she found herself wishing it would.

She couldn't keep her mind off of what was to become of her in two days' time.

She'd be sent away to Atlas' Academy, be stowed away in secret.

For her own safety? No. It was for one thing, and one thing only.

Control.

That's all this kingdom cared about.

She'd be trained to be a solider just like all the others, a mindless robot, be restrained and led like a lamb to the slaughter. No matter how hard she pushed, they'd push her back harder until she was broken. Once they had her, there would be no coming back.

But then again... she didn't even know if she had anything left to come back to.

Her friends and teammates...

They could be dead for all she knew.

Her father had certainly made it a point that she never be delivered news or word of their locations or conditions, whatever those may be. She was meant to be kept in the dark until she'd forgotten about them entirely.

 _I won't..._ She vowed. _I'll never forget them. No matter how long it takes, I'll... I'll get through Atlas' schools and then I'll be free. I'll find them. Somehow..._

But she didn't know how confident she was in her own promise.

When she had Winter at her side, or the support of her friends like Ruby, Blake, and Yang, she could be strong.

But when she was alone...

Weiss had little faith in herself, especially after all of this. She didn't know if she'd make it on her own, if she'd be able to be trained in Atlas' militant style for the next several years and still emerge while harboring some sense of self.

Even now, she still needed what she'd never had for most of her life.

She needed a friend, she needed support.

Without those things, she'd never get by. The fear would consume her, and one day she might be tempted and desperate enough to let it.

Sounds from outside alerted her, and Weiss staggered to her feet, her bolero falling behind her. She pushed her weight against the door as the maid tried to enter. Weiss kept her out, listening to the mumble of "Then I'll leave your supper and uniform here for you."

There were sounds of a tray being placed outside the door, then footsteps leading away.

Weiss scoffed, bitterly wiping her forearm over her eyes. The room was still locked from the outside, so she couldn't get to the items outside even if she'd wanted to.

Dizzy and fatigued, she limped to her bed, her bare shoulders still shaking without the cover of the jacket she'd dropped. All that kept her exposed shoulders, arms, and back safe now was the delicate fall of her hair.

Her dress was stained with damp spots, and as she collapsed onto her bed, more instantly began to form on her pillow and sheets. She didn't even have the strength to slip herself beneath the covers. She felt she didn't deserve the simple comfort anyway.

Her friends... if they weren't all dead, then they were still out there somewhere.

Struggling. Worrying. In pain...

And Weiss wasn't doing a damn thing about it.

Maybe they were better off without her, dead or alive.

The sun had vanished long ago, leaving her room shrouded in darkness. Not even a single sliver of moonlight managed to slip through.

It was all so... unwelcoming, so cruel. Nothing could bring her comfort or console, at least not anything her father's mansion had to offer.

This would be her last night, and she'd spend it cold, alone, and afraid.

But... after living in this house for seventeen years, she was used to that by now.

Even so, that didn't stop her from remembering the nights she'd spent at Beacon, warm and comfortable with her teammates all around her.

She remembered wishing them all goodnight, and how the wishes would be warmly returned unto her.

She remembered how Yang would snore, how Blake would mumble, and how Ruby would toss in her sleep.

She remembered how Zwei would sometimes curl up at her feet for a bit of added warmth.

She remembered falling asleep during the best months of her life, remembered not being frightened for once about closing her eyes.

She remembered how each night promised to lead to a homely morning, with playful bantering over who would get into the bathroom first or which cereal they would choose.

She remembered them. _All_ of them.

She wanted them back.

But she was helpless, scared, and utterly alone.

Again tonight, she would have to cry until she'd worn herself out of consciousness, never truly knowing if she'd see any of them again.

* * *

 **A/N: The situation in this fic is much more dire than the canon made it all out to be. I just want to make sure readers understand how difficult things are for Weiss in particular being in Atlas which is relatively 'safe' but also has a tendency to use militant tactics with educating their youth.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	4. With Time Running Out

**This chapter goes back to Ruby as she tries to figure out exactly how she should go about trying to find and get to Weiss.** **Dedicated to** **beacontacticsmod** **! Thank you!**

 **If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 4. With Time Running Out

Ruby did her best to relax on the air ship ride.

She knew this would be her only time to rest on this tedious journey she'd set out on alone.

When she was in the air like this, no one could catch up to her, no one could stop her or force her to go back. This was probably the most secure place she could be.

She also made sure to take advantage of the facilities as much as possible, and accepted every cheap snack that was offered to her.

She'd never been to Atlas before, not that she could remember, and she had no idea how long it might take for her to locate the Schnee mansion.

And then there was the matter of actually _getting_ to it...

Before she knew it, the air ship ride that was supposed to be relaxing for her was turning out to be more stressful than anything. She was constantly fretting about what she would do once they landed.

Supposedly, they would land in the early morning hours, so Ruby would have an entire day to search. But what if she didn't find Weiss within that first day? She'd have to find a place to stay the night, and she couldn't afford something like a motel, and she definitely didn't think staying out on the streets or in the forest alone was a very good idea, especially in the winter weather.

 _Gosh, what am I even doing? Maybe I should just... go home after all... Weiss is probably fine. She can take care of herself. But can I...?_

Ruby sunk back against her seat, hugging herself tightly. At this point in the ride, there was no one else on board the ship.

She was... totally alone.

What... was she doing? She'd left behind her family, her injured sister and her emotionally-distraught father. And now she was venturing off to a foreign kingdom by herself, with nothing more than a note left behind, but no indication as to her whereabouts for anyone she knew.

She was traveling during a time of crisis, when communications were still down between the kingdoms. A single straying ember could have sparked the flames of war at this point, and she was suspended in midair over all of it.

Maybe... this was a really horrible idea...

Maybe Weiss was better off without her...

Ruby hadn't realized when she'd started to cry. It was stifling, and the sobs choked her to the point of discomfort. But since there was no one else on the ship that could see her, she didn't even try to hide her tears. She wept softly but freely, ducking her face into the crook of her elbow or the side of her shoulder.

Only then did it cross her mind that she hadn't cried at all since the battle back at Beacon. Even when she'd been brought back home and had woken to find that her teammates were no longer with her, she hadn't cried.

Even when Yang had told her that Blake had vanished and Weiss had been taken away against her will, she hadn't cried.

And even when Yang had all but rejected Ruby's efforts to support and help her, and hadn't told her she loved her back, she hadn't cried.

Ruby didn't understand why.

Until now.

Because back then, she'd needed to be strong-willed and strong-minded, lest she lose the conviction to _do_ something about all of this that had been bubbling up inside of her since the second she'd woken up.

But now that she was here, right in the middle of taking action as she'd planned to do...

Now she was having second thoughts.

Now she was beginning to see the reality.

That a war was brewing, and perhaps sneaking around from kingdom to kingdom wasn't the best idea.

That her father had lost enough people he loved in his life thus far, and maybe she should have stayed home to support him and Yang.

That Weiss' father was an unwelcoming person, and likely had plenty of security around the mansion, so it would be nearly impossible for Ruby to get what she wanted out of all of this.

 _Am I... just being childish? Just being a stupid little kid? To think I could make a difference all on my own...?_

Maybe she was still just too young.

Maybe she didn't understand everything as everyone else did.

Maybe she was being naive, and all of this was 'wishful thinking,' as people always said.

Maybe...

 _Maybe I should just... go back home..._

She wiped her eyes again and again, trapped between a rock and a hard place.

She didn't know if what she was doing was right or plausible. If she went through with this, she could very well just end up getting Weiss in immense trouble.

And Ruby knew her own father wouldn't be very pleased with her if she were to come limping back home, exhausted and defeated.

The world suddenly seemed like it was out to get her, and it was starting within her own mind.

 _Either way... I can't do anything now when we're still flying... I've gotta at least wait until we land in a few hours..._

Until then, she decided to close her watery eyes, knowing this could very well be the last time in a while she'd be able to sleep securely, if at all. She did her best to stop crying for the time being, and instead gazed out the window at the world below.

It was still and quiet, shrouded in a pre-morning darkness, with the fractured moon watching overhead. Starlight sprinkled out over the buildings and homes far below, and even the oceans seemed to be at rest.

It all seemed so tranquil. Ruby couldn't believe there was a threat of war brewing, lingering over everyone's consciousness. If something bad happened, this peaceful scenery would soon become a distant memory.

That was why Ruby made sure to savor this sight for all it was worth.

At long last, she closed her eyes, leaning back against the plush cushion of her seat in the most comfortable position she could find. Her frantic mind soon became calm, too fatigued to worry about anything else other than sleep any longer.

She closed her eyes and let the blanket of darkness sweep over her.

. . .

. .

.

She couldn't breathe.

It was so cold.

So, so cold...

And everything around her was dark, so dark she couldn't see anything at all.

She was lying on a hard surface, shivering from the frigid air. When she reached up for something – anything – she saw just how pale her hands were.

But there was something else amiss, even more so than the sickly pallor of her skin. Her fingers were a little longer, a little more slender. Her nails were round and perfect, and she'd lost a bit of muscle.

With great effort, she managed to push herself up, peeling her back from the freezing, hard ground. She looked down to find herself wearing a dress of blue crystals.

She thought they were beautiful at first, the intricate, watery patterns on the fabrics.

But she soon realized they weren't embroidered in. Rather, they were solid things, each branch connected to the next like veins, all stiff and without warmth.

She realized why it was so difficult to move now.

Because they were all connected to her eyes.

They were... they were her tears.

They'd frozen over, until they'd formed a cage around her, pinning her down, trapping her here in this place where she couldn't breathe...

She could feel herself dying.

Just before her eyes closed, she caught sight of her own long white hair, frozen over with crystals-

"Ah-!"

Ruby jolted awake now, nearly falling out of her seat as reality rushed back to her all at once.

She was... she was still on the air ship, alone, and outside her window, dawn was breaking. The announcement that they'd be landing in Atlas was just being made as she straightened herself up and wiped her face repeatedly.

 _Just a dream... just a dream..._

But somehow, she felt it had been more than just that. Much more.

 _Weiss..._

She... She needed help.

And Ruby could sense that this wasn't just her own residual fear from the nightmare. She had a connection with Weiss as her partner, a bond and friendship that only _they_ could ever share with each other, and no one else in the world.

Ruby had felt it in the past, but never so strongly. Because this was the first time Weiss wasn't right at her side.

 _She needs help... She needs_ me _..._

And she wasn't being conceited with her thoughts, either. Every fiber of her being was telling her this. That Weiss needed _her_ specifically.

And that there wasn't much time left to find her before it would be too late.

The air ship began to glide lower, and Ruby could now see they were just above the docks in Atlas. She no longer had any doubts about what she planned to do once they'd landed.

She'd make sure to apologize to Yang and their father, and hug them both many, many times when she did decide to go back home one day. But that day wouldn't be today.

 _Sorry, Dad. Sorry, Yang._

There was an unmistakable bump as the ship landed, and the voice over the intercom began speaking.

But Ruby didn't even hear a single word. Her entire being was focused only on one thing, and that was getting off this ship.

She stood, stretching herself out rather quickly, knowing she couldn't afford to waste a second. She gathered her backpack, which she'd cleaned out of trash and empty bottles earlier. Now it was refilled with fresh water bottles and new bags of snacks and food, enough to sustain her for at least two more days.

The second the doors opened up, she was darting out of them and into the unfamiliar streets of Atlas with only one thought on her mind.

 _I'm coming Weiss. Just hold on._

* * *

Making her way through Atlas was an arduous journey.

It was even more difficult than traversing the Grimm-infested forest in the dead of night, in Ruby's opinion.

The citizens here weren't like the people she'd known back on Patch. There, everyone knew everyone else, and when a passing stranger or tourist asked a question, they were always met with kind smiles and helpful information.

But here, everyone seemed so... uptight.

Ruby felt as though she were walking amongst soldiers at all times.

All of the adults were dressed in formal clothes and stood erect like statues. Even the teenagers and people her own age seemed to be limited on what they could smile about.

What unsettled her the most, perhaps, was the lack of color. Everyone seemed to be wearing shades of white, grey, or black, but hardly anything else.

Ruby certainly stood out like a sore thumb, and should anyone come asking for her, she was certain that every person in Atlas would have replied they'd seen "the girl in red" at least once.

Everyone was giving her stern or even rude looks. She didn't feel welcome here at all.

And perhaps she wasn't.

As she continued hurrying around town, where all of the buildings were enormous and sharp and modern, she realized just how inconspicuous she was. Her clothes and mannerisms screamed that she was from another kingdom, and with tensions as high as they were right now, she probably looked suspicious to most people.

She made sure to keep on the move, hurrying as quickly as she could, both because she wanted to avoid people seeing her for longer than necessary, and because she wanted to find Weiss as quickly as possible.

The people hardly seemed approachable, but she had no choice but to ask them what she wanted to know. She inquired of where she might go to find a map of the place, claiming she was a tourist who was trying to meet up with family, but that the loss of communications had thrown her off.

The first several people she asked ignored her altogether, and then a few of them who tried to help accused her of being absentminded because she failed to explain which district she wanted to go to.

But at last, she encountered one Faunus man who seemed to pity her and gave her what she needed. He gave her directions to a library, ensuring her she'd be able to find a map there. She thanked him humbly before dashing off through the crowds.

Ruby stuck to his instructions very carefully. Up until now, she'd been wandering aimlessly, but now she had a path to follow, and she intended to keep to it.

She hurried along the grey sidewalks, searching the technologically-advanced buildings on either side of the street where fancy, modern cars passed her by.

Even with this task to occupy her mind, she couldn't stop thinking about her nightmare.

Images of herself... _Weiss_ being trapped, cold, unable to breathe...

Ruby's breath hitched just thinking about it, and she had to stop running for a moment. She ducked beneath the overhang of the nearest building and removed her backpack, pulling out a bag of cookies and a bottle of water to help calm herself down.

As she was getting her bearings, her eyes wandered across the street. Not far away was a large sign that read "Atlas Public Library" in smart, clear text.

Ruby gobbled down the rest of her cookie crumbs and guzzled the last mouthful of water, then tossed everything in a nearby trash bin before hurrying off once more.

Inside, the library was void of voices, but there were plenty of other sounds. Large desk and table areas had computers, laptops, and screens set up all around. The constant sounds of vigorous typing and clicking filled the room as she entered.

Everyone there seemed to be about her age, if not a little older. They were all dressed in similar grey and white uniforms. As Ruby passed them by, she heard a few girls chittering quietly.

"I can't believe school is starting up again so soon. Even after all this crazy stuff's happened! Can't they give us, like, a week off or something?"

"You know how they are. Gotta keep us in for as many hours as possible. It's part of our training."

"I guess you're right... But hey, did you hear how they're gonna be moving us somewhere else now, for safety reasons?"

"Yeah! That's so weird. They sent a notice home and it said they won't even tell our parents where they'll be keeping us. It's kinda creepy..."

Ruby had to silently agree with the girl.

 _They're going back to school already? Even with all that's going on? And their own families aren't even being told where the students will be staying? Gosh, I'm so glad Weiss came to Beacon..._

Ruby headed straight for the information desk where an older, stern-looking woman in a dark blazer turned to address her, rather unkindly.

"Heavens, what is it that you're wearing? Did you not receive your uniform yet?"

Ruby gulped but quickly improvised.

"Uh, yeah. They uh, sent me the wrong size so I had to send it back. This is all I have for now!"

The woman glared at her, then sighed.

"Well then, what is it you need assistance with?"

"Um... I-I was hoping I could have a map of sorts. See, I'm a transfer student and I um... I just got here and I don't really know my way around too well."

The woman's countenance seemed to loosen a little bit at that.

"I see. That explains your preposterous getup." She reached somewhere behind the counter onto her desk, then pulled out a folded piece of paper, which she slid to Ruby. "Here's the most recent version."

"Thank you!" Ruby beamed up at her as she accepted the map. The woman looked down at her as though she'd never seen someone smile before in all her life.

Before she could get called back and hounded further, Ruby hurried off across the library with the map clutched tightly to her chest. She paused beside a study table and opened it up.

Atlas was much larger than she'd ever thought. She'd studied its geography for exam purposes in the past, but this was the first time she'd seen a map of its districts and streets.

She located the library easily enough, and then began looking for a familiar name. She squinted down at the parchment, scanning it swiftly, looking for that key word...

At last she found it.

There was a square to indicate the building's size and location, and then the title of the establishment written in red:

 _ **Schnee Dust Company Headquarters**_

Ruby's heart lifted a little bit, ecstatic that she'd actually found what she'd been looking for.

 _But wait... that's the factory where all their Dust is stored and their things are manufactured, right? That doesn't mean its her house..._

Of course, the map didn't give the names of which family lived in which house in which district. Essentially, Ruby was back to square one.

 _I can't give up! Aahhhh, what can I do...? Think, think!_ She closed her eyes and tried to do just that.

"Hey, new girl!"

A voice suddenly sounded behind her, causing her to jump, yelp, and whirl around. Ruby recognized the two girls from earlier whom she'd overheard. The one speaking had short black hair and matching dark eyes, which she'd presently locked in a glare on Ruby.

"S-Sorry!" she whispered. "Is this, um... where you wanted to sit?" She quickly grabbed the map and tried to pull it away.

But the other girl slammed her hand down on the opposite corner.

"No, it's fine. We just wanted to see the map, actually. May we?"

When Ruby took a moment to calm herself down, she realized that these girls didn't actually seem to be angry or antagonistic towards her. The scowl just seemed to be the default expression around here, but the girl's eyes were kind and curious. Ruby bit her lip.

"Uh, s-sure. Go ahead."

"Thanks!"

The two girls hunched over the map, tracing their fingers until they found what they'd been looking for, then bickered about which one of them had been right in her assumptions.

As Ruby watched them, she got an idea. She didn't know how good of an idea it was, but she couldn't waste time trying to think of better options.

"Um, excuse me?" she said timidly. "Do you think you could tell me what you know about this place?" She pointed to the Schnee Dust Company Headquarters, then smiled sheepishly. "I'm new here and I was just... kinda interested."

The girl with the black hair instantly started rambling.

"Oh, I know _all_ about Schnee Dust! My family has worked with them before. It was a _huge_ deal. I even heard rumors that the _heiress_ is going to be coming to school with us in Atlas from now on!"

Ruby's heart instantly started to thud harder.

"Wh-What?" she blurted. "I-I mean, um... wasn't she going to Beacon before? That's what I heard..."

"Oh, yeah," the other girl said with disinterest. "Her dad let her train as a huntress or whatever for a bit, but not anymore. Not after all that stuff that happened over there. I don't know where they're gonna be sending us for school, but maybe I'll get to see her in person! That'd be so cool! I actually got to go to her house once when my parents were negotiating with her dad. She lives in this _massive_ mansion on the other side of town. But it's like... a few miles away from town because their property is so _enormous_."

Ruby was almost trembling as she listened to the girl talk.

 _Weiss... is going to Atlas' Academy now? Her father's_ making _her? And no one's even being told where the students will be staying? That's not to keep them safe! That's to keep them in line and under control! That's horrible!_

But as the girls in front of her continued talking, they didn't seem terribly bothered by these arrangements being set upon them. None of the students here seemed to be upset.

Was this just how Atlas worked? Was everyone just going to accept this without question?

Even if everyone else did, Ruby knew for a fact that Weiss would be forced into this against her will.

 _She'd never want to stay in Atlas where her father could keep constant tabs on her. Especially not after going to Beacon._

Weiss had never explicitly said it, but she loved Beacon. Everyone knew she did. She loved training as a huntress.

To have all of those challenges and new experiences and freedom ripped right out of her hands...

To have them replaced by some secretive school that made everyone dress in colorless uniforms and train like soldiers and secretaries...

Weiss would never want this. Ruby was sure of it.

 _I have to find her. Before she's forced to go... wherever it is they're sending the students. It could be anywhere. I have to find her before it's too late..._

Thanks to these girls' ramblings, Ruby now had an idea of where to go to look for Weiss' house. She left the map and the girls behind and darted out the library doors, then hurried along the grey sidewalks once more.

As she ran, Ruby couldn't stop thinking about her partner, and her nightmare.

 _Weiss would never want this. She'd want to know if Blake and Yang and I were okay. She'd want to come find us. She'd want to come back to Beacon with everyone and help repair things and make things better. She'd want to continue fighting as a huntress with us._

 _She said it herself how she hated the idea of a desk job, safe and cozy here in Atlas. She wants to help people. She wants to protect them. She wants to defend the people she cares about and fight alongside them. She wants the freedom and sense of duty of a huntress._

Somewhere deep inside herself, Ruby was confident of these things.

She wasn't just imposing her own wishes onto Weiss.

She _knew_ her partner.

She knew her as a person, as a friend, as someone she admired, and as someone she trusted with her life.

She knew Weiss wouldn't ever want this.

Which was why she knew she needed to find her before it was too late.

She needed to hurry.

Ruby didn't pause for a rest this time. She ran as quickly as her semblance could take her, twisting through the mundane crowds, skirting around buildings, and darting across the streets even when the light was red. She wasn't going to let anything get in her way, not even her own fears.

She ran towards the place she'd seen on that map, towards the edge of the town where a vast expanse of open land lay stretched. The fields were covered in snow now, erasing even more color from this kingdom. She hopped a gray iron fence which was the unmistakable boundary marker for a piece of property.

By the time she stepped foot onto those fields, night had fallen once again.

But Ruby never stopped running.

She followed alongside a concrete pathway, which was undoubtedly a driveway or road of sorts. It cut through a small forested area, and rose up over a hill.

Only when she'd reached the top of that hill did Ruby finally stop.

A massive white mansion stood about a quarter of a mile away from where she stood now. It was the very picture of conspicuous consumption, massive beyond reason.

She knew only three people lived there and perhaps a few maids as well. But there was no actual reason for such a large establishment other than to display the owner's power and wealth.

In front of the mansion was a large driveway, which seemed to be strangely busy at the moment. Lights were on, and there were half a dozen formally-dressed people standing about, as well as two luxurious cars, parked but running.

For some reason, Ruby didn't think this was a typical scene of this mansion at the stroke of midnight. They seemed to be preparing for something, something that involved a lot of security and a long drive...

She knew instantly what this was.

They were going to take Weiss away.

And they were going to do it very, very soon.

Panic seized Ruby like the claws of a Giant Nevermore. It clutched her sharply and dug in deep, causing her to step back and sway against the nearest tree.

 _Oh my god, oh my god-_ Her mind was whirling like a tornado, words and options and emotions swirling around and clashing against one another. _What do I do? What do I do? H-How can I-?_ She shook her head, choking back a sob. _Think, think!_

She couldn't just wallow in confusion until it was too late. She needed to _focus_ , use all the skills she'd learned back at Beacon about being a team leader.

 _That's right. Even despite everything that's happened, I'm still the leader of Team RWBY. They're still my friends and family, and I have a responsibility to do everything within my power to keep them safe. I have to do something..._

And when she calmed herself down long enough to take a breath, she realized there was only one thing she could do for her partner at this point.

Ruby dropped her backpack in the snow, knowing the added weight would only slow her down. She made quick work of climbing a few feet up the nearest tree and stowing it away in higher branches, to keep it out of sight of people or animals that might happen to pass by or look this way.

She only took another small bag of cookies and a half-pint bottle of water from the pockets before zipping them back up and jumping down. She tucked these two items into her dress' pockets, ensuring Crescent Rose was secure at the small of her back, then directed her gaze back towards the mansion.

She'd need to move quickly, silently, and efficiently. She only waited a moment longer, to take one more breath of the cold, winter night air into her lungs.

Again, she was reminded of her nightmare about her partner.

 _Weiss... I'm here. Just wait for me._

Precious seconds were already ticking away.

With her eyes locked on the highest window of the mansion, and her determined heart set on the most righteous path, Ruby took off at top speed across the snow-covered fields, stirring up the cold, still air with the fervent steps of her boots and the fiery beat of her heart.

* * *

 **A/N: At this point, we don't know much about Atlas from the canon. But from how Weiss described it to Yang, we can assume it's a very military-centric kind of kingdom, so I tried to write the people and cities as being high-strung and strict. I feel Weiss gets most of her disposition from her tense family life already, and Atlas' harsh society sure didn't help much.**

 **If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	5. Across The Snowy Moor

**Final chapter! Dedicated to dasaethelwulf! And thank you so much to all of the people who helped support and pay for this commission where the original customers backed out! I really appreciate it and hope you'll enjoy the last chapter!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 5. Across The Snowy Moor

She'd waited for the safest, smartest moment before she'd taken off across the moor towards the mansion.

Some of the men outside had gotten into one of the cars and driven off, while the others stayed close to the main doors. She wasn't within their line of sight, but even so, Ruby made a rapid run towards the white mansion, her partner's prison.

 _I'm coming, Weiss! Just wait for me!_

She didn't even need to guess which window led to Weiss' room. Ruby just instinctively knew it was on the top floor, facing her direction. Weiss had once told her she could see the little forest from her room, and at night she could see the distant lights of the city beyond.

Ruby blew across the snowy fields like a breeze, leaving only faint footprints in her wake as she stole through the quiet night. She recalled having hopped a fence a while back, and considered herself lucky that it had been the _only_ fence on the property. Now, the mansion before her stood widely unguarded in terms of barriers.

But she skidded to a halt a few yards shy of it, and scoured the corners for cameras, just in case. She couldn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

 _Well... if they_ are _there, that means there's no one watching them right now. 'Cuz if there was, they'd already be out here trying to get me_.

That meant if she was quiet and eluded detection, she should have at least until morning before anyone was checking potential security tapes or walking around the house.

So she raced onward over that final expanse of white ground. Weiss' room was very high up, and Ruby could think of only one way to get there from her position.

Drawing Crescent Rose, she extended it to its scythe form and hurried on until she was at an appropriate distance.

Then, she jumped up as high as she could, given her running start, and reached up to swing her weapon's blade higher than herself, embedding the curved tip into the white brick of the mansion. It connected about five feet beneath her target window.

Ruby dangled at the end of the handle, her boots hanging halfway up the mansion now thanks to her powerful jump. She let out a small sigh of relief that her plan had worked, then reached up with her other hand to grab the handle for extra support of her weight.

From there, she used her weapon as a ladder of sorts, climbing up the length of the staff using only her hands, until she reached the crescent of the blade. Once there, she gave herself another little jump and let go, landing in a crouch on top of her scythe.

She'd made it this far. Now came the trickiest part.

Slowly, leaning her hands against the mansion itself, she started to stand up and straighten her back, pressing herself against the wall as she distributed her weight as evenly as possible.

If she was discovered now, it would all be over, not only for herself, but for Weiss as well.

Ruby wouldn't let that happen.

Besides, if her theory was correct, she still had several hours before dawn when anyone would start walking around to look for signs of anything amiss.

From where she was now, standing at her full height against the mansion's side, teetering precariously on top of her massive scythe two-thirds of the way up, she must have looked like some kind of criminal.

 _Maybe I am, though. 'Cuz I plan on taking something from this place tonight._

Her heart was beating quickly now, both from the rush of adrenaline and from a mixture of excitement and fear of what she was about to do. She just prayed that Weiss was still there and hadn't been taken away yet.

Ruby swallowed, whimpering softly as she strained up onto her tip-toes and reached up with one hand towards the closed window. Her fingertips only barely brushed the bottom of the sill.

Biting her lower lip, Ruby began scraping her nails against the cold hard surface, making as little noise as possible, but just enough of it.

 _Come on, Weiss. It's time to get you out of here._

* * *

Weiss had been on the verge of passing out.

She'd lain there on her bed, sobbing and shaking for hours, dreading the thought of being shipped off to Atlas Academy like the prisoner they were making her out to be.

On her previous nights like this, she would've pushed herself up and spent some time training with Myrtenaster within the confines of her room, casting small glyphs and practicing her techniques quietly.

But now, she didn't have the strength for it, mentally or physically. Her stomach didn't go a second without growling, every tremor of sobs that ran through her body making it feel more and more empty.

Now that she'd been severely exhausted in both mind and body, she could feel herself beginning to slip towards the dark nothingness of unintentional slumber.

But perhaps that was better. Staying awake would only ensure that she kept feeling this biting cold, this painful hunger, and these awful sobs. At least when she was asleep, she couldn't feel any pain; only be scared by nightmares.

But nightmares hardly bothered her in her sleep anymore. She was already living one, after all.

More tears squeezed out past her closed eyelids and ran down her cheeks to join the others in the damp puddle seeped into her pillow. She'd sleep now in knowing these would be her final hours before she'd be taken away.

Once she got to the Academy, she didn't plan to conform, however. She'd find a way out somehow, keep track of who was in charge when and for what reasons, watch when they took a moment for a break or looked the other way. She'd learn how the security around campus worked, and what it would take to get herself up in an air ship back to Vale without being questioned.

She planned to slip away just as quickly as she'd come, except leaving would be her own intent rather than someone else's imposed will.

The thoughts of her planning served to calm her down a bit now, just enough for her to release one last sigh...

 _Clnk_

A sudden sound jolted her awake, her heart leaping up into her throat as a horrible panic seized her chest. Her eyes flashed instantly towards the door, fearful that someone was coming to get her earlier than intended.

 _N-No! They're supposed to wait until sunrise! Please no..._

The thought that her final night of solitude here would be cut short dismayed her to the point of more tears. She'd be leaving one prison for another, but at least she _knew_ this one.

However, the first thud wasn't followed by any others, not like the consistent patter of footsteps would be. It sounded alone and no others followed it.

Weiss stayed still where she was on her bed, sitting up partially and looking over her shoulder with wide, terrified eyes, like a wounded deer.

But the hunters never came for her as she'd been expecting.

She waited for several suffocating minutes, fearing the beat of her own heart was far too loud and would soon alert them to come find her.

But there was no movement from beyond her door, nor anywhere else within the house.

She let out an unsteady breath, only to realize that though the inside of the house was quiet, the outside was another story.

Another sound soon reached her ears, but it wasn't as big or loud as the first one had been. This time, it was much smaller, thinner, like the edges of coins scraping over a marble table.

Still, Weiss didn't move. In all the years she'd lived in this mansion, she'd gotten used to the sounds of people moving about in different rooms, or the way the wind slipped in through tiny cracks in the window sill sometimes.

But she'd never heard this sound before. It wasn't coming from the roof, so any kind of bird that had landed for a rest was out of the question.

As she tried to get ahold of herself, she pinpointed the source of the sound to be just outside her own window.

It sounded like... something was trying to get in.

She stayed put, once again neglecting to draw air into her lungs for fear she'd be making too much noise. She waited a minute, then two, but all the while the scratching hardly ever came to a pause.

Her mind told her not to pay it any heed, or if she must, to call for a maid to come and investigate.

But her heart told her otherwise.

Something compelled her to slide off her bed, her boots clicking lightly on her wooden floor. As she moved, the cold air of the room hit her bare shoulders and formed bumps along her upper arms.

She walked one step at a time towards her window, her heart beating harder with each one, until it was louder than her footsteps, drumming in her ears.

She paused at her window and peered out through the blurred glass, but it only allowed her to see straight out across the fields at this angle. Like this, she could see the city lights in the distance, but nothing more.

The sound was coming from beneath the sill, and if she wanted to look below, she had only one option.

Weiss hugged herself briefly, just to try and feel some semblance of warmth on her stiff skin again. She then uncurled her hands and reached out, one leaning against the sill and the other reaching for the small lock.

Her fingers trembled, as did her baited breath, her heart a jolting mess amidst the rest of the turmoil inside of her. Her nail pushed against the knob of the lock and slid it over to release it.

The window opened vertically down the middle, pushing out to either side, letting in the freezing wind of the night.

With her palms braced on the edge, Weiss peered down-

-and started to cry.

* * *

The second Ruby heard the click of the lock, she moved her fingers aside a little, so they wouldn't be hit when the window was opened.

She held herself up against the side of the mansion, leaning herself back against it for a moment. Her unblinking eyes were locked on the window above as it opened outward, waiting...

And like a miracle, a figure appeared.

She was caught directly in a swathe of moonlight which dyed her porcelain-white skin silver. It was the first time Ruby had ever seen her with her shoulders and collar bare, save for the small necklace that dangled around her neck, and its pendant that rested just above her heart.

Her hair was still tied in its alabaster ponytail which streamed gently in the breeze over her right shoulder. The blue fabrics of her dress were highlighted by the moonlit glow as well, giving her an overall ethereal presence.

Ruby couldn't move.

She could only gaze up at her in wonder, joy, and the utmost relief.

A swell of emotion rose up behind her eyes as her gaze met with those familiar blue pools.

The once-vibrant color of the sky had turned dull and bleak, with countless stains of tears running down her cheeks and as far as her neck.

But as soon as their eyes met, Ruby watched for herself as a spark was lit within Weiss'.

That blue gaze widened in disbelief, as though she were looking at a ghost.

For all Ruby knew, Weiss might've thought she truly was.

Judging by her partner's stunned reaction, she could infer that Weiss had seriously considered the heavy, heartbreaking possibility that Ruby and the others might very well have been dead.

But now she could see for herself.

Ruby couldn't speak just yet. She could only stand on her precarious perch on the side of the mansion, frozen in this situation that would have seemed ridiculous to anyone else.

But to her, it was one of the greatest moments of her life.

She watched as a fresh wave of tears crashed over her partner. Weiss lifted a hand to her mouth to conceal a gasp, and the tears started pouring down in rivulets, dripping down off her chin and falling, some of them to land on Ruby's own face.

Weiss' tears merged with hers as they traveled down her cheeks. Ruby was already sniffling and doing her best not to blubber as loudly as she could. She tried to keep her voice quiet as she reached up with both hands.

"Wuh... W-Weiss..."

It felt so good to say her name and to know this time she could hear it.

And hearing it was what seemed to break her partner.

Weiss broke down into sobs, letting them spill and tumble out, her chest and shoulders shuddering as she tried to keep control of herself.

She gazed down at Ruby, standing there on top of Crescent Rose, which was embedded into the side of her house.

How utterly ridiculous this was.

And yet, the thought of it being ridiculous never once crossed her mind.

This was Ruby Rose, after all.

It was all Weiss could do to move her hand away from her lips long enough to whisper her name between gasps.

"R... Ruby..." Weiss wiped her forearm across her face, trying to swallow back the sobs to little success. "Wh-What... do you think you're doing there...? You dolt..."

Ruby only smiled sheepishly up at her, grinning toothily despite the tears on her face.

"I came to get you!"

She spoke softly, but her words were finalized and full of pride.

Weiss knew in that instance that she'd be leaving here tonight, long before the dawn broke and anyone could hope to come fetch her and drag her away.

By the time the maids unlocked her door to find the room vacant, Weiss and Ruby would be halfway to anywhere.

She knew in that instant that she was being rescued, like she'd always dreamed of.

She knew she was safe.

Finally.

 _Finally_.

For the first time in her life, she felt safe within her own home.

Because the right person would be leading her out of it.

Weiss leaned over the ledge of the window with both arms and held her hands out to her partner. Ruby wiped her eyes so she could see clearly, then reached up towards her.

The tips of their fingers brushed, Ruby's slightly dirty nails now meeting Weiss' clean, polished ones. Their fingers curled as they grasped one another's wrists tightly, surely.

Ruby jumped, and Weiss pulled.

The young leader scaled the last few feet of the mansion's wall, her life resting solely and quite literally in Weiss' hands.

The heiress pulled her with all her might, boots skidding over the floor as she realized the weight of what she was supporting was so much more than just her partner's body.

But Ruby had no one else in the world she'd rather trust herself with, and Weiss knew there was no one else fit for the role other than herself.

Together, with their combined efforts, Ruby managed to scramble onto the ledge of the window in a crouch. From there, with both of her hands still in Weiss', she was guided into the room with a small hop.

Both girls were left standing face to face now, still staring teary-eyed at one another.

It was all still there – the utter shock in Weiss' gaze at seeing someone she'd considered she may never see again, and the relief in Ruby's gaze of seeing someone she'd known would have thought herself to be dead.

There was an ounce of fear shared between them as well, pressure in knowing that whatever they were going to do, they'd need to do it quickly, before someone discovered them at sunrise.

But even that panic was snuffed out by something much greater, much gentler.

Neither of them stopped crying for a second as they came together in a desperate embrace.

Ruby latched onto Weiss' small, shuddering back, squeezing her tightly. But when she did as much, she could feel Weiss gasp a little, and realized it was painful for her. Ruby loosened her grip slightly, sobbing a tiny, inaudible apology into Weiss' shoulder.

Now that she could feel her in her arms and be close to her again, Ruby realized just how thin Weiss felt. She'd hugged her many times in the past, back at Beacon, and Ruby knew her partner to be of slender build by nature.

But this wasn't the same. This was a much more delicate and dangerous form of gauntness.

She could feel Weiss struggling to return the embrace with half as much strength as Ruby herself was giving it.

Ruby's legs trembled from the relief of reaching her on time. But she only swayed when she felt Weiss' knees buckle.

With a strangled sob, Weiss collapsed, and Ruby went down with her, keeping her arms around Weiss to steady her as best she could.

Weiss was weeping too hard to talk just yet, clinging tightly to Ruby's clothes as she buried her face in her shoulder.

Ruby smelled of snowy moors, forest soil, and midnight wind. The very essence of freedom itself. It was a breath of fresh air within the stagnant, stifling walls of her prison cell.

It was difficult to breathe properly with all of the emotions swirling inside her chest and all of the hiccups and sobs jumping in her throat.

But even despite all the physical pain and the emotional torment she'd endured, Weiss felt more at ease than ever in Ruby's embrace.

Croaked sounds of her voice kept tumbling out with the sobs and labored breaths, but eventually, Weiss managed to force out a few words.

"You... Y-You're alive... Ruby, you're a- _alive_..." She hugged her tighter for a second, then suddenly sat back with a gasp, pulling away and looking fearfully into her eyes. "Wh-What about-"

"Weiss, Weiss!" Ruby whispered. "Shh, it's okay! Take it easy. Just take a deep breath, okay?"

Ruby moved both of her hands up to rest on Weiss' bare shoulders, rubbing gently. She felt as Weiss tried to do her best to inhale, felt her body shaking from the inside out as she exhaled.

Ruby couldn't bear to see her so frightened and weak like this. She pulled Weiss back in to her, letting her partner rest her chin on her shoulder. Weiss was still shivering as she circled her arms around Ruby's back once again.

The brunette then noticed Weiss' long-sleeved blue bolero lying crumpled on the floor across the room.

It looked very unsettling.

Weiss never threw her laundry around so haphazardly. She always folded it neatly and put it in its proper place.

Seeing that article lying there told Ruby that something awful must have happened, and considering the late hour of the night, it must've happened a while ago.

The fact that Weiss hadn't even had the strength or the will to pick up her bolero and put it back on spoke volumes louder than the heiress' sobs did.

Ruby's stomach clenched and flipped – she wanted to know what had happened, but felt it wasn't the right time or place to ask.

Weiss was shivering so much, both from crying so hard and from the cold night air. Ruby knew she couldn't force her to stand again to retrieve her jacket, nor was Ruby going to leave her side for a second to fetch it for her.

But there was still something she could do to help.

Sidling a little closer, Ruby pulled her cloak over her shoulder and wrapped it instead around Weiss', covering her exposed back and upper arms.

Weiss whimpered as her skin adjusted to the warmth, the precious, sacred comfort of Ruby's presence at her side. She tried to thank her, but instead of words, only more sobs came out. Ruby hushed her softly, assuring Weiss she knew what she'd been trying to say.

Ruby took the moment to let out the rest of her tears now as she threaded her fingers through Weiss' mussed ponytail. But it wasn't long before Weiss was attempting speech again.

"Ruby..." she wheezed. "I'm... I'm so glad you're okay. I... didn't think I'd get to see you again..."

Ruby felt as though her heart was about to break, because she knew Weiss' already had a thousand times over.

"Weiss..." Ruby pulled her close again, savoring her embrace. The heiress shuddered once more, though the bouts of shivering had begun to die down now that Ruby's cloak was shielding her.

"Please..." She paused for breath, then tried again. "Please... tell me about Blake and Yang."

Weiss lifted her face to meet Ruby's gaze, determined to prove that she was capable of handling the truth, whatever it may be.

Ruby offered a small smile and reached up to cup her partner's scarred cheek, wiping away some of the fresh tears only to discover the trails that had been seemingly stitched permanently into her skin.

Ruby could guess there had hardly been a second when Weiss hadn't been crying since her father had come to take her from Beacon.

"Okay," she promised. "I'll tell you. So don't worry, Weiss. It's okay."

Her partner nodded, fighting back the next wave of tears that was threatening to surge forth.

Ruby kept one hand on her cheek and the other at her opposite hip to help support her. She spoke softly as she recounted all she knew about their teammates.

"Blake... Blake went somewhere on her own. No one really knows where, but... but she knows places none of us could ever imagine. She can take care of herself. She's somewhere out there and I know that we'll find her again someday."

Her words sounded hopeful, but there was uncertainty in her eyes. They both knew Blake was highly skilled in the art of disappearing. She knew how to run, how to cover her tracks, and how to conceal herself.

And they both knew that they'd only ever find her again if Blake herself was willing to let them.

Weiss felt her gnarled stomach twist even tighter. Ruby could only offer solace by means of shifting a little closer and rubbing Weiss' side.

When she continued, her tone had taken on a bit of a lighter note again.

"Yang... Yang's alright. She's gonna be alright. She's back at home with Dad, recovering. She'll be alright."

The way she kept repeating that phrase made it seem as though she were trying to convince both Weiss and herself.

The heiress lifted her hand to touch Ruby's over her own cheek.

"You... you told them you were leaving, right? They know where you are... right...?"

Weiss asked as much, but she already knew the answer. The fact that Yang wasn't with her right now was indication enough that Ruby had run off on her own without telling her family where she'd be going. If she'd mentioned it, Yang either would've tried to stop Ruby, or insisted on coming with her, despite her condition.

The way Ruby looked guiltily down into her lap now only confirmed Weiss' dismay.

"Well... I, uh..."

"You... You dolt..." Weiss shook her head slowly. "You'll worry them sick..."

"B-But I had to, Weiss!" she blurted. "I had to! B-Because... 'c-cuz _I_ was worried sick about _you!_ "

She revealed her dripping silver eyes now, pleading and earnest.

Weiss recoiled a bit. She hadn't been made to consider how Ruby must've felt in all of this until now. If their positions had been reversed, and she knew Ruby was just wallowing in grief assuming the rest of them were dead, Weiss would've done everything within her power to get to her as well.

Another breath left her lungs in a sigh as she shook her head.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't be scolding you at a time like this, when you came all this way to get me..."

Ruby sniffled and passed the back of her hand over her eyes.

"I'm sorry, too..." she murmured rubbing up and down Weiss' sides. "I'm sorry y-you... had to be alone all this time... thinking bad things had happened to us... It must've been so scary..."

Weiss said nothing. She didn't deny that she'd been terrified, and her silence implied the blatant truth anyway.

Ruby whined softly and ducked her head, nestling herself beneath Weiss' chin. Her cheek rested against her collar, where her skin was still chilled to the touch. She could hear Weiss' heartbeat, hard and frantic, still terrified of what they were doing and what the consequences could be if they were caught.

"Weiss..."

Ruby hugged her around the waist, adjusting her cloak around her partner's shoulders. She hated that Weiss always had to be so scared in her own home, the one place where she was supposed to be safe.

Ruby felt Weiss' hands on her back again, holding her close. She was happy to share her warmth and support as best she could.

She listened to Weiss' scared heart as it pounded beneath her ear. Ruby knew it must've hurt.

"Weiss... are you okay...? I-I mean I know that... th-that you don't wanna be here and you don't wanna stay, but..."

She tapered off, her voice thinning out. She wasn't sure how to ask it in the way she wanted to without making Weiss upset.

But the heiress knew exactly what she was referring to. As if to confirm it, her stomach let out another growl a few seconds later.

Ruby sniffled and tried to hold her gaze, but Weiss only looked away.

Ruby said nothing and merely hugged her again.

Weiss savored the feeling of Ruby's weight against her chest. It was a subtle, welcome pressure that calmed her heart, to the point where it didn't feel like it would burst out of her chest.

Ruby pulled back all too quickly and reached into her dress pocket.

"Wait... here!" She pulled out the bag of cookies she'd taken with her, and then the small bottle of water. She placed both items in Weiss' hands and urged her to accept. "I have more. Lots more. I-In my backpack. I left it outside, b-but please take these, Weiss. Please."

The heiress looked down at the items she now held. She hadn't realized just how thirsty she was until now. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she'd drank anything more than a dribble of shower water as it'd fallen past her mouth.

The bag contained bite-sized chocolate-chip cookies. She couldn't help but attempt a smile at that.

Ruby had been watching her closely, and didn't miss the tiny twitch of her lips. She hadn't seen Weiss smile since the last time they'd been at Beacon together and they'd found one another unharmed.

Ruby couldn't help but smile again as she urged Weiss to eat. She opened the little baggie for her and then twisted the bottle cap off as well.

Weiss drank half the bottle right away, letting the cold liquid quench an arid thirst she hadn't acknowledged until now.

She then picked out a cookie and bit into it slowly. The sugary flavors blessed her tongue instantly, and the ache in her stomach began to lessen as soon as she swallowed.

Ruby stayed by her side and offered her soothing encouragement as she ate, huddling close to her side.

Weiss couldn't eat very quickly unless she wanted to risk upsetting her stomach. She was forced to take her time, knowing they didn't have very much of it, but also knowing her body would need the energy for what lie ahead of her now.

As she bit into her second cookie, she'd calmed down enough to let her mind wander. She began with the most prominent question.

"How did you find me?"

Her eyes were filled with a genuine curiosity. She'd never told Ruby where she lived exactly.

So Ruby told her tale of how she'd run away from home and taken the air ship to Atlas. From there, she told how she'd found the girls at the library, and ultimately, how she'd found Weiss.

The heiress raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. Ruby giggled.

"It was a little tough, but I wasn't gonna give up! I'm lucky I ended up in a place close to where you live, though. Atlas is huge and I could've landed anywhere." She hugged her partner again. "And... then there was something else I heard those girls say. How they'd heard you were going to be attending Atlas' school from now on.

"And how they're... they're moving the students somewhere else in some secret operation or something. It's like... they wanna keep you guys where no one else knows about and train you in secret. I knew I'd never find you if they took you... I was so scared..."

She turned her face into Weiss' shoulder and let a few more tears slip out.

Weiss patted the back of her head softly.

"I was scared, too. For a lot of reasons. But even if they had managed to take me away, I'd already started planning on how I'd get out."

Ruby sat up again and tilted her head.

"Really? Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from you, Weiss. You're always thinking ahead. I guess I didn't have to worry about you too much then, huh?"

To her surprise, Weiss shook her head, wearing a tiny, sad smile.

"No... thank you for worrying, Ruby. It's nice to have someone who will do that for me."

Ruby whimpered and hugged her again.

"Of course! I'll always worry about you, Weiss! You're my best friend and my best teammate!"

Weiss couldn't stop the tears from falling again. But crying didn't hurt this time.

She ate several more of the cookies, but was unable to finish the last one. She placed it into Ruby's hand and beseeched her to eat something as well. Ruby gobbled the cookie up in a second, then bargained that Weiss needed to finish the water.

Once she had, Ruby took the trash and stuffed it back into her pockets to discard elsewhere, not wanting to leave any more evidence behind than she already had with Crescent Rose's crack in the wall.

From there, there was only one thing left to do.

Both girls directed their attention to the sky outside the open window. It was still dark, but the broken moon had shifted in position by now. The dark purple shade of the firmament had altered ever so slightly, and was just a tiny bit lighter now.

Ruby squeezed Weiss' hand, and the message was clear.

It was time to go.

Ruby pulled away from her partner, her cloak consequentially slipping off Weiss' shoulders in the process.

"Can you stand? Here, hold onto me."

Ruby braced Weiss' forearms in her palms and stood herself up first, then gradually helped Weiss find her balance. She wasn't shaking so terribly anymore, and with the food and water now rejuvenating her body, she seemed much steadier than before.

In addition to all of that, there was also the thrill that beat around her heart now, the excitement and nervousness at the thought of running away from home in the middle of the night.

Weiss had considered it herself in previous nights, but she'd never known for sure if any of her teammates had actually still been alive or not. She'd thought it would be easier to be taken to Atlas Academy and sneak out there, where she'd already be far away from her father.

But now that Ruby was here for her, there was no reason to wait a second longer.

Once she was on her feet, Weiss made her way across the room to pick up her rapier where she'd left it leaning against her dresser. There was a small bag that she'd been meant to pack with clothes for the Academy, but now she packed it for another reason.

She only took a few essential articles for this weather, then went to her vanity and opened a drawer there. From the back corner, she took out a small stack of credit cards and lien, which she tucked into her bag.

Ruby, who had been picking up her partner's ruffled bolero in the meantime, perked up at the sight of Weiss' find. The heiress gave a little smirk.

"Don't worry about funds. My father may have control over most of the finances, but Winter recently opened a secret account for me. You won't be sleeping in the forests or on air ships when _I'm_ around."

Ruby grinned and hugged her again, then helped her slip into her bolero again. Weiss felt much better with herself properly covered now.

She secured her bag on her shoulder, then took one last look at her room. She wiped her face, clearing away the tears for good this time.

Ruby stepped up beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Together, the made for the open window.

Weiss used her rapier to cast a trail of glyphs leading down the side of the mansion, making it much easier to get down than it had been for Ruby to climb up. The young leader grabbed Crescent Rose on the way down, and together, the two of them landed in the snow.

A small white cloud floated up around their boots as they caught their breath, still holding onto one another. They put their weapons away and prepared to take off the way Ruby had come, across the open field, until they made it to the forest where her backpack was hidden.

"Are you ready?" Ruby asked, casting a sideways glance at her partner.

Weiss hesitated only for a moment, and only for the sake of taking a deep, steadying breath. The cold winter night air filled her lungs, then left her lips in a puff of white.

"Yes."

Ruby couldn't help but stare at her a moment longer, though.

The snow surrounded her figure, as did the white air produced by her breath. Her pale skin and silver hair glowed in the moonlight, and her sky-blue dress seemed to sparkle with the residual particles of tiny snowflakes. A slight rosy tinge had returned to her cheeks, and the vibrant, lively blue had returned to her eyes.

Weiss was so gorgeous.

Ruby couldn't stop herself from stepping close to her again.

She didn't think. She only acted on what her heart told her to do.

Softly, shyly, she pressed her lips against Weiss' cheek, just for a second. A second later, she stepped away, hoping she hadn't messed it up.

But Weiss only smiled back at her. She motioned for Ruby to come close again.

"Let me show you how it's done, you dolt."

Weiss pulled her in again, and this time kissed her lips.

It felt so right.

It felt like... finding something they'd always been searching for, realizing it had been right beside them all this time.

Ruby kissed her in return.

It lasted only for a moment, but it was long enough.

When they parted, their eyelids lifted to let silver meet with blue once again.

They didn't need to say any more.

They'd escape together, leave no traces behind them, then find a place to stay.

From there, they'd make plans to find Blake, and once they'd tracked her down and seen her again, they'd go back to Yang.

And from there, they'd try to find answers.

It was a long, tedious, and dangerous journey that lie ahead of them.

But they'd already overcome so much alone.

Now that they were together, they could accomplish anything.

Weiss lifted her hand to cast a long trail of glyphs across the snow, which would allow them to travel swiftly and without leaving footprints.

Ruby gazed out over the lighted path, then turned to her partner.

There were better tears in their eyes now as their hands came together and squeezed, gently but firmly.

And together, they took that first shared step onto the path that would set them on a new journey.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! I'll be finishing this story here, as there's just way too much that could possibly happen from this point onward. I'll just let the canon do its thing. Though I do just want hugs when all the RWBY girls are eventually reunited. That's all I ask.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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